Why was Husanov moved back to the center and why are experts criticizing Maresca?

In the 8th round of the English Premier League, Manchester City suffered their first defeat after a seven-game winning streak, losing 1-2 away to Aston Villa. Although the "Cityzens" maintained their lead in the league table on goal difference after this result, Arsenal has caught up with them in terms of points.

Against the backdrop of the defeat, the focus of global football publications and prestigious statistical centers was on the Uzbekistan national team and Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov — he was deservedly recognized as the best player on the pitch for the losing side.

Analytical centers are amazed: Khusanov rated higher than Haaland and Doku

Despite the defeat, leading international statistical portals gave the young defender's performance a very high rating:

• WhoScored (8.0 points): The portal's experts named Abdukodir the best player of the match. He surpassed Jeremy Doku (7.8) and Erling Haaland (7.6) to receive the highest score in the City squad;

• Sofascore (7.4 points): On this platform as well, the Uzbek defender's performance was recorded as the best among Manchester City players;

• Flashscore (8.0 points): The service rated Khusanov's reliable performance with 8.0 points, and he was only slightly behind Jeremy Doku (8.1).

Tactical shift at halftime and Maresca's mistake

During the match, the decisions of head coach Enzo Maresca sparked heated debates among experts:

• Return from the wing to the natural center: In the first half, Khusanov played on the right flank of the defense and was active not only in defending but also in joining the attacks. However, after the break, the coach was forced to move him back to his natural position — central defense — to cover gaps in the backline;

• Marc Guehi's mistakes: Experts point to the coach's error in squad selection as the reason for Manchester City's defeat, specifically noting that recent gross errors by central defender Marc Guehi have been leading to goals;

• Demands from fans and websites: Analysts at the Global Football Vibes portal made a sharp demand: "Enzo Maresca, stop experimenting with Abdukodir Khusanov at right-back!" Thousands of fans on social media are also asking for the center of the defense to be fully entrusted to the duo of Abdukodir Khusanov and Josko Gvardiol.

Key ratings based on match results